Those of us who become dispirited by what we view as needless changes in the fixture list, by original non-commercial race titles being dropped by sponsors, and by new racedays designed to have a quick hit effect, will have been surprised and pleased by the boost the Middle Park Stakes received over the weekend.
While this is an event with a purposeful role in the calendar of being a source of future pretenders to champion sprinter status, gone seemed the days when it was a stop off on the journey to the top mile events of the following season. In that sense it had gone out of fashion.
Since the Brigadier took the race in 1970, only two winners have gone on to be triumphant in the 2,000 Guineas, Known Fact by fortune of Nureyev's disqualification in 1980, and Rodrigo de Triano in 1992.
Irrespective of the reason why an exciting field of potential top class milers came here instead of the Dewhurst, it was refreshing to build up the race as one that could turn out to be a genuine Guineas trial. In fact the last time I can remember such a buzzing run up to this event was the renewal that Diesis won in 1982, where he also faced rivals with potential to be top class milers.
Diesis followed up in the Dewhurst in the race more famous for the crumbling of the Gorytus hype. He did not train on like his famous full brother Kris but did prove his equal at stud.
Racing fans tend to be guilty of becoming too cute with recent trends. And when such a long established race like the Middle Park confounds those who had become dismissive of its importance, it can only be a positive for the sport and is armoury for supporters of keeping the present programme intact without any further meddling.
Ironically, in the spirit of London buses, if Earthlight trains on and is allowed to make another journey over to Newmarket, his biggest obstacle to success is likely to come in the form of a Woodcote Stakes winner, an ancient event long considered outside the boundaries for potential classic horses.
It would nice too for the Gimcrack to receive a similar fillip. Only Nebbiolo and Rock Of Gibraltar have won both the York race and Newmarket Guineas in the past fifty years but don't get too blase about it never happening again, though the odds will be stacked against another Mill Reef (in picture) appearing in the race.
Mind you, once we reached the late eighties most had consigned to history the times when a future Derby winner ran in the Coventry. Mill Reef would be the last of them, some opined. Even the days of future classic winners appearing early in their juvenile career were considered gone for ever.
Then, making fools of most, two future winners of the Epsom showpiece, Generous and Dr Devious, both ran in the Coventry in the early 1990's. The race continues to throw up animals who are able to train on into classic contenders, three Newmarket Guineas having run in it since the turn of the millenium.
Of the events for the classic generation, one race that seemed dead and buried as a serious event of consequence is Epsom's Blue Riband Trial , which from nowhere was given a massive boost when Cracksman took the race two years back.
Certainly, those who hate to see races that had a role in the calendar rendered insignificant were quite chuffed that John Gosden chose the race for his three year old reappearance. In fact, the decision to run him there cast doubt in some eyes on the level of consideration connections had for the colt.
Gosden had won the race the previous year with the future high class filly So Mi Dar, though her eligibility for the race, as with Midday a few years earlier, had been due to the authorities calling time on the matching Oaks trial, the Princess Elizabeth Stakes, which was firstly switched to Kempton, then discontinued, before the title was adopted for a new event run at the Epsom June meeting.
If they would have held firm it was an event that held out hopes of coming back into fashion, though the last Epsom Oaks winner to be successful in the event was Homeward Bound in 1964.
Returning to the Blue Riband Trial; founded in the 1930's, the race has only thrown up one Epsom Derby winner in Blue Peter but right up into the 1970's was still deemed as a respectable trial.
In 1976, when the meeting was covered on ITV racing in the three channel era, Oats was trained by Peter Walwyn to win the event and was to be Seven Barrow's leading Derby hope, a race he would finish third in.
Then, the following year, Be My Guest looked visually sublime when quickening smartly and leaving an impression, along with a staminia doubt too. He would finish an also ran in the Derby behind stable companion The Minstrel, but would successfully drop back in trip and went on to outshine his more illustrious stable companion at stud.
One year later the Duncan Sasse trained Roland Gardens took the Blue Riband Trail before causing a mini shock in winning the 2,000 Guineas a couple of weeks later.
In 1979 Henry Cecil ran Jim Joel's Main Reef, who had been highly considered in the early stages of his two year old career. He was beaten but to be fair his career was already at a point were his limits appeared exposed.
Two years later it was a last chance saloon for another hyped up colt to fulfil it's potential. Michael Stoute's Centurious was a half brother to Grundy and was still quoted at twentysomething for the 1981 Derby, not everyone sure whether he or a certain Shergar would be the better three year old.
After the Futurity winner Count Pahlen won in 1982, before his career went downhill, the race then became something far removed from its original intended purpose - it was even taken off the calendar for a few years in the 1990's.
It returned and within a few years was won by two horses of note in Daliapour and Storming Home, but much time elapsed between those two taking in the race to Cracksman using the race to kick start his three year old career.
The Derby runner up Dee Ex Bee was placed in the event last year, while this year's Ballydoyle trained winner, Cape Of Good Hope, now promises to carve out a lucrative career Stateside, judged on his latest run at Saratoga.
These examples beg the question ; which of the races lying in purgoratory could suddenly rediscover their mojo ? Aside the conditions, listed and group contests, there are a handful of long established handicaps that retain their original titles, that were of a significant status in days long gone, some from as far back as the century before last, but have fallen behind by not attracting the sponsorship they might deserve.
We know which races these are, as if you asked racing fans to make a list of a dozen events fitting the description, the same names would crop up. It is not being syrupy to suggest that these races are in a sense institutions, forming a link with the past, while standing as a testament to the longevity of the sport.
It would be warming for these contest to experience a resurgence. Sponsors would surely benefit from adding their name to the original title as opposed to swallowing it up, as what happened with a bunch of races at one major recent meeting.
In the meantime, those who wish renewed vigour and buoyancy to the race titles that have become relics, hope that Godolphin allow what would be a fascinating clash over the Rowley Mile next May between a winner of the Middle Park, and a winner of the Woodcote. Doesn't that sound surreal ?
image owner Karen Nutini reproduced under CC license
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